Trading was light on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday with stocks worth less than $12 million trading. The main and US dollar markets closed with just 20 securities changing hands down from 29 on Thursday with one trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 9 stocks advanced and 5 declined.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 827,534 units valued at $10,595,699 compared to 14,040,895 units valued at $147,385,397 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 32,400 units valued at US$9,396.
The All Jamaica Composite Index fell 248.73 points to close at 259,687.12 and the JSE Market Index lost 226.62 points to finish at 236,604.37. The JSE US dollar market index closed unchanged at 221.11.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 43,554 units valued at $557,668 per security traded, compared to an average of 540,034 units valued at $5,668,669 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 518,349 units with an average value of $6,907,416 compared with an average of 557,915 units with an average value of $7,436,562 on the previous trading day.
The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Berger Paints fell 33 cents to close at $19.01 in exchanging 4,019 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 2 cents and closed at $1.38, with 85,946 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded 35 cents higher to close at $30 with 4,269 units traded, Carreras rose 20 cents, closing at $83 with an exchange of 6,712 shares, Ciboney gained 4 cents to close at 22 cents, with 136,293 units trading, Grace Kennedy closed at $43, trading 10,384 units. Jamaica Broilers climbed 98 cents and closed at $19.98, with 22,237 shares changing ownership, Jamaica Producers fell 49 cents and closed at $15.50, with an exchange of 1,258 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 30 cents to close at $7.50 in trading 2,037 shares. JMMB Group closed at $20.50, with 52,945 units being exchanged, 
NCB Financial Group closed at $71.99 with a loss of 1 cent, after trading 9,368 shares, 138 Student Living traded 21,500 shares at $4.49, Portland JSX Fund closed at $10.10 with 31,275 shares changing hands, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.70 after gaining 1 cent, trading 68,244 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50 with trades of 97,466 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 1 cents and closed at $11, while exchanging 75,128 units, Sterling Investments gained 15 cents in closing at $16.90 with 1,000 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $42 after rising 49 cents with 30,044 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures rose 10 cents to close at $7.50 trading of 167,409 shares and Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 32,400 ordinary shares.
Trading drops for JSE stocks – Friday
Sagicor hammers JSE index – Thursday
Sagicor Group traded 2.2 million shares on Thursday & fell $3.49 in early trading.
Sagicor Group traded 2.275 million shares and fell $3.49 to $30.01 by mid-morning on Thursday and was the main contributor to the more than 3,600 points fall in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed in the morning session. The price recovered to close back at the closing price of the previous day but the market closed with more losses with Mayberry Investments trading more than 10 million shares with a loss of 57 cents.
The market closed on Thursday with 29 securities changing hands with 3 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 10 declined. Trading levels in the main market ended at 14,040,895 units valued at $147,385,397 compared to 2,068,486 units valued at $25,621,686 at the close on Wednesday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 12,880 units valued at US$3,794.
The All Jamaica Composite Index dived 4,312.28 points to close at 259,935.85 and the JSE Market Index sank 3,928.98 points to finish at 236,830.99. The JSE US dollar market index added 2.34 points to close at 221.11.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 540,034 units valued at $5,668,669 per security traded, compared to an average of 86,187 units valued at $1,067,570 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 557,915 units with an average value of $7,436,562 compared with an average of 559,541 units with an average value of $7,597,279 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Berger Paints tumbled $4.16 to close at $19.34 in exchanging 32,091 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.40, with 286,674 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded 15 cents higher to close at $29.65 with 2,529 units traded, Carreras lost 20 cents, closing at $82.80 with an exchange of 100 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $43, with trades of 44,917 units. Jamaica Broilers fell $1 and closed at $19, with 38,394 shares changing owners, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.99, with an exchange of 234,241 shares and Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 30 cents to close at $7.80 trading 11,187 shares. JMMB Group closed at $20.50, gaining 49 cents with trades of 8,300 units, Kingston Properties added $1.10 to close at $16.60 exchanging 4,650 shares, as the stock is set to start trading ex split on Friday.Kingston Wharves traded 1 cent higher to close at $31.50, with an exchange of 30,958 units, Mayberry Investments lost 57 cents to close at $4.18, with 10,252,750 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group closed at $72, after trading 35,485 shares, PanJam Investment closed at $35.61, gaining 6 cents with trades of 411,523 shares. 
Portland JSX traded 20 cents lower to close at $10.10 with 725 shares changing hands, Pulse Investments closed at $14.40 exchanging 1,000 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.69 after gaining 3 cents and trading 193,574 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50 after recovering from $30.01 earlier in the day with trades of 2,292,158 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.99, losing 6 cents while exchanging 13,883 units, Salada Foods lost 15 cents in closing at $7.85 with 9,000 shares being exchanged, Scotia Group closed at $41.51, losing 49 cents with 28,375 units changing hands, Scotia Investments traded 1,500 shares at $37.85, Seprod closed at $34.50, with a loss of 50 cents exchanging 5,630 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 9 cents to close at $7.40 trading of 64,251 shares. Margaritaville Turks closed at 37 US cents, gaining 3 US cents with 730 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 12,150 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.5% preference share gained 23 cents and closed at $2.05, while exchanging 2,000 units and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share gained 1 cent to close at $1.31 with trades of 35,000 units.
JSE in big record run on Tuesday
Berger Paints ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $23.50 on Tuesday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange shot up more than 3,300 points in the morning session to an intraday high on with all Jamaica Composite index up by 3,327.59 points to a new record, at 10:45 AM the index hit 265,287.63 points. The market failed to hold on to such heady gains and fell back later to end at a record close.
At the close of the market the All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 1,511.90 points to record close of 263,471.94, the JSE Market Index gained 1,377.52 points to finish at record closing high of 240,052.78 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 0.45 points to close at 218.77.
Trading ended with 29 securities changing hands including 2 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 7 declined.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 115,967,557 units valued at $1,350,559,147 compared to 4,670,861 units valued at $78,264,470 at the close on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 19,645 units valued at US$5,789.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 4,295,095 units valued at an average of $50,020,709 compared to an average of 166,816 units with an average value of $2,795,160 on Monday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 538,261 units carrying an average value of $7,554,509 versus 196,730 units an average value $3,693,945 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units and $5,254,387.
In market activity, Barita Investments traded 100,000 shares at $7, Berger Paints gained $3.58 to close at a record high of $23.60, with trades of 12,300 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.40, with 381,200 shares changing hands. Carreras added 5 cents to close at $82 after hitting a new intraday high of $84 while exchanging 64,795 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.40, with a loss of 10 cents trading 35,814 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at a record high of $20, gaining $2, trading 49,022 shares, Jamaica Producers closed 40 cents higher at $16.40, with 226,826 shares changing ownership, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 45 cents to close at $7.05 trading 12,285 shares. JMMB Group lost 50 cents to close at $21, after trading of 27,952 units, Kingston Wharves traded 91 cents higher to close at $31.01, with an exchange of 12,000 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.75, with 157,731 shares trading, NCB Financial Group closed at $71.99, after trading 36,196 shares, 1834 Investments lost 1 cent to close at $1.84, with an exchange of 242,270 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49 trading 3,107 shares, PanJam Investment added 5 cents to close at $35.55, with trades of 16,955 shares. Pulse Investments closed at $14, with gains of $1.50 exchanging 11,780 shares, 
Radio Jamaica closed at $1.70, gaining 5 cents trading 27,400 shares, Sagicor Group traded 90 cents lower to close at $33, with trades of 953,208 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $11.19, with gains of 19 cents exchanging 112,260,515 units, Scotia Group was down $2 to close at $42, with 987,439 units changing hands, Scotia Investments closed at $37.85, trading 200 shares, Seprod traded 3,300 shares at $35, Sterling Investments closed at $16.90 with an exchange of 22,584 shares, Supreme Ventures jumped 65 cents and closed at a record high of $7.50 exchanging 25,353 shares. Proven Investments 8.25% preference share gained 3 cents to close at $5.20 with trades of 19,200 units, Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents with 1,845 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 17,800 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.5% preference share closed at $1.82, losing 8 cents with an exchange of 178,125 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.10, with 100,000 units changing hands, Proven Investments preference share jumped $1 to hit a 52 weeks high of $6.17 while trading 34,200 shares.
New record close for JSE – Monday
Carreras climbed to a 52 weeks’ high of $81.95.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed a record high on Monday following record close on Friday. The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 213.39 points to close at a record 261,960.04 the JSE Market Index gained 194.42 points to finish at new record of 238,675.26 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 0.45 points to close at 218.32.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 4,670,861 units valued at $78,264,470 compared to 4,918,036 units valued at $117,841,841 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 10,855 units valued at US$4,017. At the close, 28 securities changed hands in the main market and 3 in the US dollar market as 15 stocks advanced and 8 declined including 4 that traded at 52 weeks’ high during the day.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 166,816 units valued at $2,795,160 for each security traded, compared to an average of 223,547 units valued at $ $5,356,447 on Friday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 196,730 units with an average value of $3,693,945 versus 199,722 units with an average value of $3,783,824 on the prior trading day. 
The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Barita Investments traded 1,000 shares at $7, Berger Paints gained 2 cents to close at record high of $20.02, with trades of 500 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.40, gaining 10 cents with 1597,672 shares changing hands, and Caribbean Cement closed at $29, with a loss of $1 trading 1,600 units. Carreras gained $1.95 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $81.95 exchanging 13,000 shares, Grace Kennedy jumped $1.15 and closed at $42.50, trading 39,050 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $18, gaining 49 cents with 233,299 shares trading, Jamaica Producers closed $1.19 lower to $16, with 159,742 shares changing owners, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 50 cents to close at $7.50 trading 215,846 shares. JMMB Group closed at $21.50, after rising $1.50 with 22,430 units changing hands, Kingston Wharves traded 10 cents higher to close at $30.10, with an exchange of 1,750 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.75, gaining 5 cents with 101,000 shares changing owners, NCB Financial Group closed at $71.99, with gains of 74 cents after trading 49,561 shares, 1834 Investments traded 11 cents higher to close at $1.85, with an exchange of 1,785,370 shares, 138 Student Living lost 1 cent to close at $4.49 trading 4,593 shares, PanJam Investment closed 49 cents higher to $35.50, with 523,242 shares trading. Portland JSX lost 30 cents, closing at $10.30 with an exchange of 584 shares, Pulse Investments closed at $12.50, with a loss of $1.30 exchanging 39,013 shares, after trading at an intraday high of $14.50, 
Radio Jamaica closed at $1.65, losing 10 cents trading 78,685 shares, Sagicor Group gained 20 cents to close at $33.90, trading of 658,471 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $11 exchanging 36,714 units, Scotia Group gained $1 to close at $44, with 357,959 units changing hands, Scotia Investments closed at $37.85, with trades of 801 shares, Seprod traded 23,218 shares at $35, Sterling Investments lost 11 cents to close at $16.90 with an exchange of 9,236 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at a record high of $7.50, with gains of $1.11 exchanging 71,624 shares. Proven Investments closed at 28.1 US cents trading 8,755 ordinary shares, Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents with 1,100 units traded, JMMB Group 6% US preference share closed at US$1.11 with trades of 1,000 units, JMMB 7.5% preference share closed at $1.90, with an exchange of 8,046 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.10, gaining 3 cents with 74,855 units changing hands.
Market up 4 of 5 days to Monday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continued its quiet move higher as the market closed on Monday with gains on 4 days out of 5. The market ended with 26 securities changing hands and 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 12 stocks advanced and 8 declined and 3 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
Trading levels in main market ended at 1,892,384 units valued at $17,691,277 compared to 2,910,852 units valued at $97,817,290 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for just 760 units valued at US$228.
The All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,103.05 points to close at 251,873.90 the JSE Market Index advanced 1,005.00 points to finish at 229,485.66 and the JSE US dollar market index remained at 760 points at the close.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 184,556 units valued at $680,434 per security compared to an average of 116,434 units and $3,912,692 on Friday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 454,388 units and $5,163,911 versus an average of 454,388 units and $5,508,794 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7.10 with trades of 300 shares, Berger Paints closed at $14.99, with gains of $1.47 exchanging 1,230 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.36, losing 4 cents with 1,031,203 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $2 lower at $30 with an exchange of 75,122 units. Carreras closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $75.90, with gains of 90 cents while exchanging 12,046 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $44, with a loss of 50 cents trading 31,293 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.80 with 19,196 shares changing owners, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.50 exchanging 2,602 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 50 cents lower at $8, trading 107,792 shares. JMMB Group closed 29 cents higher to $19.99 trading 54,400 units, Kingston Properties gained 50 cents to close at $16 exchanging 5,980 units, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, while rising 50 cents trading 13,221 units,
NCB Financial Group traded at $65, with 37,342 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments gained 15 cents to close at $1.65, with an exchange of 40,389 shares, PanJam Investments closed 95 cents higher to $35.60 trading 5,345 shares. Pulse Investments lost 1 cent with 200,000 shares changing hands, to end at $8.04,Radio Jamaica was down 4 cents to close at $1.75 with trades of 5,300 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33, losing 50 cents with an exchange of 39,945 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 45 cents to close at $10.50, with 991 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $41 exchanging 61,310 units, Seprod closed $1 higher to $36, trading 1,563 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.35, losing 3 cents exchanging 57,364 shares. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents with trades of 760 ordinary shares, Proven Investments 8.25% preference share gained 6 cents in trading 20,000 units at $5.17, JMMB 7.25% preference share traded 10 cents higher to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.51 with 25,000 units changing hands, and JMMB 7.50% preference share closed 8 cents higher to $1.88 with trades of 26,250 units.
Cargo Handlers’ new high, topping seen
Cargo Handlers traded 6,618 units at a new high of $21 in early market activity but cracks may now showing in the price movements, with just over 69,000 units on offer at $21 and thin demand under $20.80. The PE of the stock is at a high 35 times 2017 estimated earnings placing it well ahead of the nearest other stock.
Market activity has been moderate so far and resulted in 26 securities traded at 10:45 am, compared to 31 on Wednesday. 
A total of 11 securities advanced and 7 declined, resulting in a volume of 1,790,982 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $22,912,791, compared of 10,271,602 shares changing hands, with a value of $18,345,463 on Wednesday. The average number of shares traded, amount to 68,884 units versus 331,342 units on Wednesday.
Market activity was helped by Barita Investments traded 112,000 between $5.55 and $6.17 after audited accounts showed a lower profit than was shown when the results were first released. Cable & Wireless trading 178,465 units trading up to 98 cents, Caribbean Producers trading 100,000 at $3.60, JMMB Group trading 1,077,076 shares up to $15
The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 518.88 points to 210,761.20, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 463.97 points 192,832.56 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index dipped 291.45 points to 206,945.11 and the junior market index rose 13.50 points to 2,736.66 just ahead of the 2,734.21 high point in early trading on Wednesday.
Key Insurance in at top of TOP 5
Key Insurance listing ceremony.
IC Insider’s forecast is for earnings per share of approximately 35 cents for 2016, for Key, suggesting the potential for a big rise in the stock price. It is noted that the only offer for the stock is 34,688 at $3.50 with the highest bid at $2.15 to buy 40,700 shares.
Jetcon Corporation has fallen out of the Top five due to a combination of a rise in Jetcon’s price, following strong third quarter results and the ascension of Key Insurance to the list. Access Financial that has been in the TOP 5 for a long time also reported strong increased profit, with a hike of 95 percent for the September quarter and a 60 percent rise to $353 million for the six months to September.
Barita could be the star performer from the TOP 5 main market stocks as demand has come in for the stock, while supply has declined.
While the investment bank reported 54 cents per share for the full year to September, earnings from ongoing operations is more like 65 cents per share. Most importantly, the information that says the stock is an outstanding buy candidate, is the quality of the final quarter results, with strong growth in fee income and net interest income and less reliance on investment and foreign exchange gains. The final quarter results, suggest earnings should end up around $1.50 in 2017. JMMB Group came in with big increased earnings, one off gains may have played a big role in the big increase but even without that, the stock is undervalued with earnings from ongoing operations in the $2 range.
Advancing stocks beat decliners 2-1
Trading on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday saw the market indices hitting new highs but within an hour of the markets’ opening, the market fell back, with the all Jamaica Index declining by 335 points. 
The decline in the main market did not negate the 2 to 1 advantage that advancing stocks held over declining ones in the overall market.
Up to 10:45 am, Caribbean Cement jumped $3.50 to $33.50 with 76,003 shares changing hands, National Commercial bank traded 502,203 units at $42.40 after rising 30 cents and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% traded 388,250 units at $2.10.
A total of 28 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 1,437,120 shares changing hands carrying a value of $26,771,116, compared to 251,399 shares changing hands carrying a value of $1.3 million on Tuesday. The average number of shares traded amounts to 51,326 units compared to 17,957 on Tuesday. Market activity resulted in 7 stock falling while the prices of 13 securities rose.
The all Jamaica Composite Index fell 335.20 points to 185,335.89, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index slipped 299.73 points to 166,765.02, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 177.72 points to close at 177,199.12 and the junior market index rose 9.76 points to 2,389.08.
Stocks up in early trading
Uncertainty regarding working activity in Jamaica seems to be affecting trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday after the market reopened with from the 
closure on Monday due to the threat of hurricane. With more than an hour’s trading only 14 securities changed hands.
Up to 10:45 am, just 5 stocks traded in the junior market with Caribbean Producers trading 87,573 units at $3.30 and Lasco Manufacturing with 80,027 units at $5.05. In the main market Barita Investments had 30,000 units changing hands at $4.20 and JMMB Group traded 26,184 shares at $13.95, up 95 cents from Friday’s close.
Just 14 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 251,399 shares changing hands carrying a value of $1.3 million, compared to 1,383,211 shares changing hands carrying a value of $7,292,776. The average number of shares traded amounts to 17,957 units compared to 53,200 on Friday. Market activity resulted in 1 stock falling while the prices of 6 securities rose.
The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 759.52 points to 183,542.49 and if it closes close to this level would represent a new all-time closing high, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 679.15 points to 165,161.40, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 669.73 points to close at 177,760.17 and the junior market index fell 3.88 points to 2,393.78.
Subsequent to 11Am the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped to 184,046.87 points.
Medical Disposables out Jetcon in – Top 5
Medical Disposables fell out of the Top 5 junior market selection during the past week, based on price movement, with the bid at $4.95 and Jetcon Corporation with the price at $4.51 returns, making it back into the top list by just inching ahead of General Accident.
The insurance company enjoyed strong buying during the past week and could slip out in the coming week. Medical Disposables still has more room for growth with the company expanding its product range. Derrimon Trading moved up to third spot after the stock traded at $4 during the week but pulled back to $3.50 by the close. Knocking at the Top 5 position in the junior market are tTech now that the price slipped to $5.30, Caribbean Flavours and Caribbean Cream with Paramount Trading just below.
Stocks in the main market all remained in the Top 5 but positions have changed, the top attraction for the week is JMMB Group that climbed to $13 and sits just and now sits at number 5 spot having entered at the top spot last week. With the news of the group obtaining a banking license, the way may be clear for the price to surge a bit more in the coming week and most likely push it out of the top 5. Stocks peeping in at the Top 5 in the main market are Grace Kennedy, National Commercial Bank and Sterling Investments.
With the junior market trading at new records this past week, the attractive gains that were evident a few weeks ago are receding in the junior market with IC Insider data showing just 7 junior market stocks that could double by early 2017. That is in contrast to the main market that shows 15 stocks that could double or more than double. All that is reflected in the fact that the junior market is up 33 percent year to date, while the main market is up just 9 percent.